The dual swords
by Gemina
Summary: Why exactly does Zuko use dual swords? Most benders rely only on their bending. Sokka comes close to finding out why. No slash! I can't write slash! I can't even write normal romance, much less slash! 4th chapter will soon be up! So much for a two shot.
1. Chapter 1

**Written for someone who likes to call themselves anonymous!**

Swish swish!

Sokka sat up with a start when he heard the sound of blades slicing through the air. He'd heard the sound often enough to be able to identify it easily. Maybe too often.

He looked around, but he didn't see anyone. He quickly got up and scouted out the area. It was probably better not to wake the others, not until he knew there was a threat. He peered through a bush, and saw, to his relief, that it was just Zuko practicing with his dual swords.

Wait a second.

Zuko and swords?

That seemed unusual to Sokka, seeing as every bender he'd ever met used their bending as their weapon, and nothing else. Why did Zuko use swords?

Sokka shifted in his crouched position, and accidently snapped a twig. Zuko immediately whirled around and threw a giant wall of fire in his direction. Sokka barely had time to dodge.

Zuko ran over. He had reacted before thinking, again. Like the time he burned Toph. Oh please let it be some stupid squirrel. Sokka startled him when he stood up behind him.

" Hey! You almost roasted me!"

Oh. It was just this guy.

" Maybe if you didn't sneak around I wouldn't have done that. Why were you sneaking around anyway?"

Sokka shrugged.

" Just heard some noise and came over to investigate. Speaking of which, why do you wield swords? Isn't firebending enough?"

Zuko frowned. He thought back on painful childhood memories of having trouble with firebending.

_Zuko looked over from his beginners lesson at Azula, who was at the other end of the courtyard, practicing advanced firebending._

_She kicked every kick perfectly, executed every punch flawlessly. And she was the younger one. It wasn't fair._

_He took a deep breath and started again. He was ten years old. He should know how to do this by now. His mother always assured that he was just a slow starter, but he had had quite a few years to "start"._

_Zuko went through the routine, falling over a few times, but getting back up quickly. He looked over at Azula. She was smirking at him. He glared back and continued practicing. And practicing. And practicing. But all the practicing in the world didn't seem to make much of a difference._

_A month later, he found the dual swords. He took to them immediately. Finally, something he was good at! Unfortunately, however skilled he became, he was still looked down upon for his lack of firebending. So he continued firebending, no matter how many times he scorched his hands or fell over. No matter how often he just wanted to go to bed, or play. Because he had to learn to firebend well. Because he was a prince of the fire nation. Because his father expected it of him._

Sokka stood there awkardly, as there was long minute of silence. He coughed. That brought Zuko back.

Zuko sheathed his swords.

" To have something to fall back on."

In Zuko's head, however, his answer was: " Because I'm good with them."


	2. Teach Me

**This really has nothing to do with why Zuko uses dual swords, but I had to add it!**

**Don't forget, a chapter without reviews is like me without my glasses! Dangerous! Review!**

_"Teach me"_

The words echoed in Zuko's mind while he practiced.

He'd never been asked to teach anyone anything. Ever.

Even with the Avatar, he'd asked to teach him.

At first, he'd thought Sokka was joking. But he'd meant it. And now, he was thinking it over. He'd mostly taught himself to use dual swords.

But if Sokka wanted to learn...

And soon enough, he and Sokka practiced at night. Zuko found Sokka seemed to have a knack for it, like he had.

Zuko's mind drifted back to the past. He'd never had a friend before. He was always practicing, and never had time. Now Sokka was practicing with him, and even making jokes sometimes. Did that make him his friend?

He remembered Azula's friends. More like captives. They hadn't seemed quite happy. Ty Lee was perky, but not happy. Who could be, with Azula cutting down anyone who surpassed her. Mai and Ty Lee barely lived through a friendship with Azula.

But this was different than that. Sokka came of his own free will, and he didn't let Zuko beat him. And Zuko didn't threaten him.

Sokka didn't ask painful questions. He could tell when a subject bothered Zuko, and he would turn the conversation to another subject. He was beginning to see Zuko carried a heavy load, something weighed down on him at every step. But he didn't ask, because he knew Zuko didn't like to share.

Zuko seemed to make a habit of zoning out, thinking of the past.

One time, Sokka became just a little too curious.

" Hey Zuko?"

Zuko blocked another swipe from Sokka.

" What?"

Sokka dodged a swipe from Zuko. Zuko wasn't the only one with training in footwork.

" When you zone out, what are you thinking about?"

Zuko seemed caught off guard. Literally. Sokka stopped his sword an inch from Zuko's face.

Zuko, however, remained calm. He sheathed his blades. The match was over.

What did he think about?

_Zuko ran through the hallways, searching for his Mother. He should have paid more attention when she was talking to him last night, not fallen back asleep! What had he been thinking?!_

_He felt enraged and spoke out when a General suggested sacrificing young, new troops. He would learn to regret it..._

_He looked up in fear as his Father continued walking toward, even as he bowed and pleaded for his forgiveness. The last thing he saw was the fire rushing towards him, and the last thing he felt was the blinding, burning pain._

_Zuko frowned as he looked around the empty Air temple. He could only see out of one eye, and it still hurt. He turned back towards the ship. He would find the Avatar, no matter how long it took him, so as to regain his honor. To gain his Father's love. He should have known nothing he did would cause his Father to love him._

_He felt love as he walked through the streets with Jun. But it wasn't to last..._

_He felt confusion as Azula offered him a deal, to help her catch the Avatar. He should have known better than to trust her._

_He felt regret as he left Mai...never to see her again...or so he thought..._

_He felt panic when he burned Toph._

_And he felt really stupid when he lost his firebending._

In truth, he thought about everything, events that meant a lot to him, whether it instilled guilt, or terror, warmth, or shame, they were all important to him, to who he was. They were his life.

He looked over at Sokka who was watching him expectantly.

" Stuff."

Sokka had a feeling it was more than just "stuff", but he wasn't going to say anything. If Zuko ever wanted to tell him, he would, but not before. That's just how he was.


	3. Burned!

**Hey, I know I haven't any avatar in a while, but I just didn't have any good ideas.**

**I got one from my sis, The Happy Gopher, though if you read any of her stories, you might wonder exactly where I got it...**

**Okay well, I own nothing, please enjoy!**

Sokka had sparred with Zuko almost every morning, but everytime it was only with swords. Sokka was itching to learn something new; Sokka was itching to learn how to fight a firebender effectively.

And that was what he was trying to cajole Zuko into, at the moment.

" C'mon, it's important for me to learn! We're going to be taking on the Fire Lord himself on soon!"

Zuko shook his head.

" _Aang _is going to take on the Fire Lord soon. Besides, I don't want to hurt you."

Sokka crossed his arms. He'd been told many times that he was stubborn, but he stubbornly refused to believe it.

" There will be other firebenders, and besides, I can handle myself! Just for a couple of minutes?"

Zuko groaned. This had been going on for the last ten minutes, and he was not known for his patience. He sheathed his swords.

" Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Sokka grinned and settled into an attack stance with his sword. Zuko took a deep breath, then settled into an attack stance as well. He struck first.

He soon found Sokka was better than he thought, using the flat of his blade to knock his hands aside, dodging all the flames artfully, much like the Kyoshi warriors. Apparently, he could take care of himself.

Or so Zuko thought.

Then they heard a shatter and Katara's scream. Sokka looked away, and Zuko realized too late that the flame was still headed toward Sokka, and that Sokka wasn't going to dodge.

" Sokka! Look out!"

Sokka turned just in time to get hit full on in the face. He fell to his knees clutching his face. Zuko immediately pulled him up, grabbing his arm and wrapping around him to guide him.

" I am so sorry! I'm sorry! I wasn't looking, and I should have been paying more attention, I'm sorry!"

If Sokka hadn't been in so much pain, he might have laughed. That was the first time he'd heard him so panicked.

Zuko quickly guided Sokka back to the camp, where Katara and Aang were cleaning up the pieces of a broken jar. He kept apologizing the whole way.

Katara looked up, and screamed again.

" WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!"

She yanked Sokka away and pried his fingers away from his face. Zuko stepped forward.

" I'm sorry, it was an accident and--"

Katara glared back at him.

" Shut up and get away."

Zuko flinched at her cold voice and backed away. He watched as Katara cradled Sokka's head in her lap and then set to healing him. The whole time, she looked murderous.

Sokka sat up abruptly when Katara finished healing him. He smiled.

" Thanks Katara, I owe you one."

Katara started to bandage his face up with a sticky ointment.

" Hey, what are you doing?"

Katara patted his head.

" Making sure you don't scar." She looked up viciously at Zuko. " Wouldn't want you to be hideous the rest of your life."

Zuko frowned. That stung. Sokka, however, was oblivious to the low blow his sister had just dealt Zuko.

" Um...yeah...I guess not..."

Katara was still looking viciously at Zuko. She was very angry, angrier than Zuko had ever seen her.

" I always keep my promises, Zuko."

Zuko barely had time to react as Katara whipped out her water and started to attack him, giving him a long slash along his side. Zuko yelped and clutched his side.

" It was an accident! I didn't mean it!"

He swiftly used his firebending to evaporate the water coming towards him. Sokka, whose head had been dropped when Katara jumped to her feet and attacked Zuko, sat up and grabbed his sister's arm. She looked down in surprise at him.

" Katara, it was my fault. I asked himm to spar with me using his firebending, and I looked away."

Katara stopped, and then looked embarassed. Aang, who had been standing there a little dumbstruck ( not what he had been expecting when he woke up this morning, in fact, he'd been planning today as the day he'd tell Katara he loved her) stepped in. He reached for the bandages and grabbed Zuko's arm.

Zuko, however, had different plans. He jerked his arm away and took the bandages.

" I'll take of it myself."

With that, he left. And, like he had for the past few years, he took care of himself.

**I know, very different than the other two. I wasn't trying to be as dramatic this time, you know? Okay, well please review, because that always gets me moving. Big thanks to ell25, you made me remember that fic!**


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